SpaceX's Grok Bot and Meta's Muse have recently captured the market's attention, and the battle over personal AI agents is now at OpenAI's doorstep.
According to a recent report from The Information, insiders reveal that OpenAI is developing new features to directly compete with SpaceX's Grok Bot, while also discussing the launch of a personal AI assistant to counter Meta's Muse.
The Competition Is Already Moving: Grok Bot and Muse
Grok Bot, launched in August, is positioned as an "AI digital consultant" for white-collar workers and small business owners. Users can quickly build bots focused on various tasks, such as market research or ad campaign planning. These bots can connect to work applications like Gmail, Google Calendar, Notion, Figma, financial software, and AI coding assistants to execute tasks directly within them.
More critically, Grok Bot can "observe" user operations and learn to repeat those actions autonomously. After completing tasks, the bot proactively reports back, and it can also be configured to request user approval before sending emails, making payments, or modifying data. Grok Bot is included in the SuperGrok subscription, starting at $30 per month. SpaceX has been aggressively promoting it across social media, YouTube, and podcast platforms, including the AI-focused Dwarkesh Podcast.
Meta launched Muse this month, covering daily mobile operations such as communicating with merchants, replying to emails, and online shopping. Meta has provided prominent entry points for Muse in apps like Messenger. However, Meta's distribution advantage is not foolproof. In 2024, Meta launched a chatbot to rival ChatGPT, but it received a lukewarm response—a cautionary tale that still lingers.
OpenAI's Position: Technology Ready, Awareness Lacking
OpenAI is not unprepared. Reports indicate that OpenAI plans to repackage and rebrand the "Agent" technology already present in Codex and ChatGPT into new products. Currently, some users have integrated ChatGPT with email, calendars, and other apps to automate tasks like scheduling appointments and email communication, sometimes with tasks spanning several days. OpenAI has also stated that since GPT-5, each new model generation has been designed to handle longer-duration tasks.
The issue, however, is that most users are unaware of these capabilities. The report notes, "It is fair to say that SpaceX and Meta, with their respective agent products, have stolen much of the spotlight in recent weeks."
When OpenAI will officially launch its countermeasures remains unclear. OpenAI has a lengthy priority list to juggle, including ensuring the safety and alignment of next-generation AI models, as well as managing the large-scale "swarms" of agents driven by these models.
The Driving Force Behind the Agent Frenzy: Slowing ChatGPT Growth
Behind this agent war is the AI consumer market's search for the next growth area. The rise of the personal assistant app Instinct is a signal. This invite-only app has amassed over 100,000 users, who interact with it via messaging apps and grant it access to credit card information and passwords to complete tasks like shopping and travel booking. Tech entrepreneurs and venture capitalists have praised it highly, and Instinct is currently seeking funding at a valuation of $10 billion.
Instinct's attention stems from its representation of a potential breakthrough in AI consumer applications—and this breakthrough comes against the backdrop of ChatGPT's growth having "slowed dramatically" over the past year. ChatGPT surpassed 1 billion weekly active users this summer, a goal OpenAI had originally planned to achieve last year. Users are willing to use AI chatbots for information and advice, but for more complex personal tasks like "help me book a service online," chatbots have consistently underperformed. Personal agents are the answer to this gap.
OpenAI's Rising Burn Rate: Projected $278 Billion Loss by 2030
Meanwhile, OpenAI's financial pressure continues to escalate. According to a report from the Financial Times, OpenAI has informed some investors that it expects to burn through a cumulative $278 billion by the end of 2030, primarily for cloud computing and chip investments. This figure is significantly higher than the $180 billion forecast shared with investors earlier this year.
On the personnel front, OpenAI has hired Brian McCarthy from SpaceX's Cursor division as its global sales lead, reporting to new Chief Revenue Officer Dali Rajic. Additionally, two senior sales executives from Snowflake are set to join OpenAI, with one having previously led Snowflake's commercial partnership negotiations with OpenAI.
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